He says: “Near the close of WWII in Europe, I took part in the liberation of Dachau in April 1945 as a member of the Army’s 20th Armored Division, which was at different times part of the 1st, 3rd, and 7th Armies, having also served in the 10th Mountain Division.

“The stark contrast between the treatment meted out to the survivors with the lush lifestyle of the Nazi camp guards left us with no illusions.

“I returned to Dachau in 1995, 2005, and 2010 and plan to attend this year’s 70th anniversary as one of the representatives of the American troops who took part in the liberation in 1954.” He also hopes to meet some of the survivers again.

In his March 17 talk Lukens will also discuss other aspects of his international diplomatic career following the war.

In 1951 Lukens joined the U.S. Foreign Service and served in many countries around the world before retiring in 1987. Hi list of service accomplishments includes serving as were: U.S. Representative to four African independences in 1960, as Director of Iberian Affairs at the Department of State during the Portuguese revolution, and as Consul general in Cape Town during the South African apartheid era.

He attended Princeton University 1942-1943 before, as he puts it, “taking a study break for the war.” He graduated in 1948 Cum Laude from the Woodrow Wilson School. He followed that with studies at the Sorbonne and the University of Madrid.